Rack



w. N. VANCE Jan. 7, 1930.

RACK

Filed June 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l W. N. VANCE Jan. 7, 1930.

2 lSheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 7, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER N. .VANCE OF CHICAGO HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY HESNE ASSIGN- IENTS, TO LYON METAL PRODUCTS, INCORPORATED, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A GOR- PORATION F ILLINOIS Application led June 23,

This invention relates to sheet metal racks or shelving and has for its general object .to provide an improved construction com 131sing a minimum number of parts, by w ch the shelving may be rapidly assemb ed into units of the desired size, or disassembled while also providing for rapid adjustment of the shelving in a wide variety of positions.l

Numerous other objects and advanta es of the invention will be apparent as it is etter understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawin s, discloses a'prefered embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation taken in a front-to-rear plane of one form of rack unit embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section 'of the unit;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation taken from side-to-side or lengthwise of the rack, as indicated by the line 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of the upper part of the racks; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of the bottom part of the rack.

In its general construction, the illustrative rack or shelf comprises the dividers 11 constituting the sides or ends, the top 12 and bottom 13, the back 14,.and the selves 15, all made of sheet metal to provide the structures hereinafter set forth.

The sides of the rack, or dividers 11, are each made from fiat vertical plates and extend in vertical planes from front-to-rear of the rack unit. Each divider is provided along its front vertical edge with fianging 16 bent to form a bulb fold and then rebent to lie substantially fiat againstthe outside face surface 17 of the divider. Along its rear vertical edge, each divider 11 is formed with vertical Hanging 18 bent from the main plane of the divider and projecting inwardly therefrom in the side-to-side or lengthwise dimension of the rack. The rear Hanging 18 provides shoulders which cooperate mutually to support the back 14 of the rack as hereinafter described.

At their tops and bottoms, the divider plates 11 are also provided preferably with RACK 1928. Serial N0. 887,779.

sidewise extendin flanging 19 and 20 Figs. 3, 4 and 5) whic project horizonta 1nwardly from the inside faces 21 of the ividers.

For the purpose of supporting the shelving at different levelsand angles, the dividers 11 are provided each with superposed horizontal rows of ears or frets 22 punched and bent from the main planes of the dividers and respectively projecting inwardly and upwardly, from their bottom lines 23 of attachment to the opposite inside faces or surfaces 21 of the divider plates. As shown the frets are spaced from each other, both horizontally and vertically, distances greater than the horizontal and vertical dimensions of any fret. This arrangement permits ready adjustment of the shelving 15 not only at different horizontal levels, but at various angles with respect to the top orbottom of the rack unit. In the illustrative embodiment, the several rows of ears or frets 22 are arranged in vertical as well as in horizontal alinement, thereby promoting the symmetrical appearance of the divider plates and also permitting considerable variation in the angle of adjustment of the shelving, as shown particularly in Fig. 1. The rows of frets 22 are spaced vertically the minimum distance permitted between any two adjacent horizontally-positioned shelves and sufficient frets are provided preferabl to permit of wide variation in the levels o adjustment of the shelving. l

The extreme bottom row 24 of frets are punched and bent inwardly from the main planes of the dividers 11 similarly to the other rows 22, but project downwardly from their top lines of attachment to the divider plates, in order to provide for holding down the bottom 13 of the rack. l

The illustrative rack provides a structure whereby the top 12, bottom 13, back 14, and shelves 15 may be made all substantially uniform in structure and dimensions. Each of these parts may be made from a sheet metal plate 26 cut to the required dimensions and so formed as to function in the rack either as a top, bottom, back or shelf. The plates 26 are provided with flanges 27 extending along 100 their opposite sides and bent so as to project in the same direction substantially perpendicularly tothe main planes of the plates. At one end, each plate 26 is formed with Hanging 28 bent into a bulb fold and then rebent to be substantially Hat against the saine surface of the plate from which the side Hanging 27 projects. At its other, each plate 26 is formed with end Hanging 29 bent substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the plate and projecting therefrom in the same direction as the side Hanging 27. The opposite ends of the side Hanging 27 are bevelled, as shown at 30, from the line of bend convergently towards the free edge of the Hanging; and the opposite ends of the end Hanging 29 of the plate are bevelled similarly, as shown at 31.

In order to provide clearance for the various parts in assembling into rack units, the corners of the plates 26 betweenthe side and end Hanging thereof may be bevelled olf, as shown at 32.

In constructing a rack unit with the dividers 1l and plates 26 above described, it is only necessary to provide a pair of divider plates 11 for the sides, a pair of plates 26 for the top 12 and bottom 13, a third plate 26 if it be desired to provide a back 14, and such other plates 26 as may be required for the shelves 15. The top 12, bottom 13 and dividersll constituting the side Walls of a unit may be connected in any convenient sequence by sliding the top and bottom in interengagement with the spaced dividers so that the side Hanging 27 of the top plate 12 projects downwardly into the spaces between upper rows of frets 22 at the same level, and the inside faces 21 of the dividers and the side Hanging 27 of they inverted bottom plate 13 project upwardly inside the bottom rows 24 of reversely projecting frets. If the top 12 and bottom 13 be applied to the extreme top and bottom rows of frets of the side dividers, the upper face or surface of the top 12 underlies and is embraced by the top side Hanging 19 of the dividers and the lower face or surface of the bottom 13 rests upon the bottom side Hanging 20.

Whenever a back 14 is employed for the rack unit, one of the plates 26 is positioned with the bulb Hangin end 28 lowermost and is turned so that the side Hanging 27 will project forwardly of the unit and inside the inner faces 21 of the divider plates. The back 14l may be slid into place by lowering ituntil the bulb Hanging 28 is positioned forwardly of and within the upstanding end Hanging 29 ofthe bottom 13, and the end Hanging 29 of the back rests upon the upper surface of the top 12 and the forward inside face of the back engages the end Hanging 29 of the top.

Any desired number of shelves 15, within the capacity of the rack unit, may be applied at the levels, or at the various angles pei"-v inbefore described provides a true knockdown structure in which the parts may be assembled or adjusted rapidly to various shelving requirements, without the employment of any extraneous fastening devices whatever.- Moreover only three structurally different types of parts are required to provide a unit of any predetermined dimensions having a wide capacity for various adjustments vof shelving not only at different levels, but

also in many different angular positions. These parts are the two dividers which differ from each other only in that the frets 22 and 24 are pressed reversely from the plane of the dividers to provide the right and left sides of the rack unit, and the Hanged plates 26 all of which are alike and may be employed for either" top, bottom, back, or shelving. Although extremely cheap to manufacture because of the small number of parts, all of which are made of sheet metal by relatively simple factory methods, the units are strong and durable and when assembled the parts remain permanently in adjusted position. The bulb Hanging 16 and 28 at the front edges of the dividers, top, bottom and intermediate shelves, provide smooth, rounded surfaces, which eliminate sharp corners and avoid tearing of clothing, or possible injury to the articles, in depositing them on or removing them from the shelves.

Such rack units have one important use as shelving under ordinary wooden store counters, for carrying reserve stocks of the article displayed upon the counters. They may be assembled readily in units 'with the desired length of shelving and the shelving may be adjusted rapidly at back or angles to suit the requirements of the articles stored in the racks.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing fi'om thespirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof. Moreover. it is not indispensable that all features of the invention be used conjointly, as they may be advantageously employed in various sub-combination and other combinations.

I claim:v

1. In a sheet metal shelf or rack-construction, the combination with side divider plates having top and bottoni front-to-rear extending, inwardly-projecting horizontal Hanging, front bulb-fold vertical Hanging and rear inwardly-projecting vertical Hanging and provided with vertically-superposed horizontal rows of horizontally elongated shelfuprting frets projecting upwardly from the lnside faces of said divider plates and with a bottom horizontal row of reverselyrojecting frets, the vertical and horizontal istance between any two adjacent frets being greater than the corresponding dimensions thereof, of a top, bottom, back and Shelving supported by said divider plates and having interlocking engagement therewith to form a unitary structure, each comprising a plate having projecting side Hanglng, similarly projecting Hanging at one end and bulb-fold Hanging at the other end, the top plate and shelving being arranged with the bulb-fold Hanging at the front and supportable by sliding interengagement of the downwardly-projecting side Hanging thereof with said upwardlyprojecting frets, the bottom plate being turned reversely with respect to the other plates but also with the bulb-fold Hanging at the front and supportable upon the bottom horizontal Hanging of the divider plates with sliding interengagement of the slde Hanging of the bottom plate with the reversely-projecting frets of the divider plates, and the back plate being vertically posltioned at the rear of the rack with the side Hanging thereof embraced by the rear vertical Hanging of the divider plates, with its bulb Hang1ng at the bottom embraced by the upwardly-projectlng end Hanging of the bottom plate and with its other end Hanging embracin the downward- `ly-projecting end Hangin o the top plate.

2. In a sheet metalshe f or rack construction,t"he combination with the side divider plates having top and bottom horlzontal and rear vertical Hanging and front bulb-fold vertical Hanging and provided with hor1zontal rows of horizontally-elongated shelf-supporting frets projecting inwardly from the inside faces of said divider plates and with a bottom horizontal row of reversely-projecting frets, the distance between any two adjacent frets being greater than the corresponding dimensions thereof, of a to bottom, and back interlocking with said ivider plates, shelves slidably and adjustably supported by sald divider vplates to form a unitary structure, said top, bottom, back, and shelving each comprisin a plate having slde end Hanging and bulbold Hanging at the other end, the top plate and shelving being arranged w1th the bulb-fold Hanging at the front and su portable-by sliding interengagement of t e side Hangin thereof with said upwardlyprojecting frets, the bottom plate belng turned reversely with respect to the other i i plates but also with the bulb-fold Hanging at the front and supportable upon the bottom' A horizontal Hanging of the divider lates with A Y sliding interengagement of the si e Hanging of the bottom late with the reversely-projecting frets, o the divider plates, and the back plate being vertically positioned at the porting frets, the distance between any two adjacent frets being greater than the corre-- spondin dimensions thereof, of a top, bottom, bac and shelving interlocking `With said divider plates to form a unitary structure, each comprising a plate having side and end Hanging and bulb-fold Hanging at the other end, the top, bottom and shelving plates being arranged with the bulb-fold Hanging at the front and slidably engageable with said frets and interlocked therewith, and the back plate being vertically positioned at the rear of the rack with the side Hanging thereof embraced by the rear vertical Hanging. of the divider plates, with its bulb-fold Hanging at the bottom embraced by the end Hangin of the botets sions thereof, of a top, bottom, and intermediate shelving and a back supported by said divider plates, each comprising a plate having side and end Hanging, said lshelvin plates being slidably engageable with sai frets, means vfor selectively supporting said shelving at .various levels or angles with respect to the topsof the divider plates, and

the back plate bein vertically positioned at the rear of the rac with the side Hanging thereof engaging the rear vertical Hanging of the divider plates, and with its top and bottomHanging enga 'ng the end Hangmg of Athe top and bottom p ates.

5. In a sheet metal shelf or rack construction, the combination with the side divider latesl having shelf-supporting frets spaced goth horizontally and vertically distances greater than the corresponding Y, dimensions thereof, of a top, bottom and intermediate shelving interlockingly supported by said divider plates to provide a unitary structure, said top, bottom, and intermediate shelving, each comprising a plate having fret-engaging Hanging which is slidably engageable with said frets, said shelving having means for selectively supporting said shelves on said frets at different levels or at different angles with respect to the tops of the divider plates.

6. In a sheet metal shelf or rack construction, the combination with the side divider plates having shelf-supporting frets spaced distances greater than the dimensions of the frets themselves, of shelving supported by said divider plates, and means on said shelving and engageable with said frets, whereby said shelving may be selectively arranged at different levels or at dierent angles with respect to the tops of the divider plates.

7. In a sheet metal shelf rack, a pair of spaced uprights providing end walls and having superposed horizontal rows of inwardly and upwardly extending shelf supporting frets, said frets comprismg struck out p0rtions of the uprights, and each row consisting of more than two frets, the frets of each row being formed in vertical alignment with the corresponding frets of every other row and formed so that shelf members may be selectively arranged and supported bythe frets of any one row or a fret from each of several adjacent rows, whereby to support the shelf at any desired angle between the uprights.

- WALTER N. VANCE. 

